Sleep routines for toddlers

If you haven’t managed to get your little one into a sleep routine yet or you’ve slipped out of it, now is the time to get your toddler into good habits.

This content is sponsored by Asda Little Angels, to provide supportive information for you and your baby.

Toddlers are discovering their independence and starting to learn about the world around them which is exhausting stuff, so establishing a good sleep routine is key to their development.

The secret to success here is following a set pattern each night, without fail, even when you are away from home. Your toddler needs consistency, and if you persevere with it, he will settle into it and will be more relaxed and enjoy a better sleep as a result.

Set up a bedtime ritual

Bedtime rituals are very individual and you have to figure out what works for you and your child. It usually includes a bath, a story, cuddles and perhaps even a little quiet game that will ultimately relax him and prepare him for sleep.

If your child has just made the big move from a cot to a bed, then getting him comfortable and ready for bed in a new routine is very important.

Make sure that your little angel appreciates his bedroom as a nice place to be and to rest and doesn’t have any negative associations with it. Make this room a calm, pleasant and peaceful place for him to be in. He may get upset when you say good night and leave the room but reassure him that you will be back in a few moments. It’s unlikely that he will still be awake when you return to check on him in any case.

Bathtime

Bathtime is a very good activity to include in your bedtime ritual as a warm bath is so soothing and may help your toddler relax in preparation for bedtime. It’s also a good bonding time for you and your toddler. If your little one isn’t keen on having a bath and it stresses him out, leave it out of the ritual as it will prove counter-productive.

Pyjamas

In the spirit of creating a bedtime ritual and making it a fun experience, let your toddler choose his pyjamas so he feels like he’s making some decisions. Don’t give him a multitude of choices; just two or three will be plenty.

Talk things through

It’s nice to allow some time for a chat at bedtime and a great way to get dad involved in the routine. Spend some time with your little one, talk to him about his day and yours, and keep things simple so he feels calm and relaxed.

You could even play a simple game or practice counting to 10. The key thing here is to keep things relaxed and easy-going. The last thing you want to do is do something really energetic which gets him worked up before bedtime.

A bedtime story

We know, from our own childhoods, how great a bedtime story is for getting you off to sleep so this is a good one to include in your ritual.

Reading a story is a lovely way to spend time with your little one and it’s also great for their development as they pick up more words for their vocabulary.

Let him choose the story he wants so he has a chance again, to have some control over his bedtime ritual. He’ll appreciate it more that way.

Sing a lullaby

Singing a lullaby is an almost guaranteed way to get your toddler off to sleep. The sound of your voice will help soothe him into a restful sleep. Soothing music also helps so play some of his favourite songs and leave them on for a short time after he has fallen asleep.

Night light

Tuck him in, give him another cuddle and say goodnight. Leave the night light on as this provides much comfort to a child and will prevent him feeling disorientated in the dark. Reassure him that you will check on him again and that he will have a lovely sleep.

Find the routine that works best for you and make sure that he knows what to expect and none of it seems stressful or concerning. This should all be a pleasant, calming and soothing experience that he looks forward to each night.